Method and apparatus for displaying items of information organized in a hierarchical structure

Abstract

In method of displaying items of information organized in a hierarchical structure, a hierarchical tree of nodes is displayed, which are items of information, classified based on a specified concept. The user selects an intended node from among the nodes on the displayed hierarchical tree and enters a concept for classifying nodes of sub-concepts of the selected nodes. The selected node and a partial hierarchical tree that is created based on the entered; concept are displayed.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method of displaying a hierarchical tree of nodes, each node of which comprises an item of information representing a concept defining a noun, a name of numerical value or a unit, wherein at least two of said concepts have an is-a relation as a hierarchical relationship therebetween, a generic relation comprising a general relation as a non-hierarchical relationship therebetween or an instance relation that comprises an exemplified relation of a corresponding generic relation, said method comprising the steps of: displaying a hierarchical tree of nodes indicative of is-a relations among the concepts;   selecting a first node from the hierarchical tree of nodes;   displaying, in response to the first node, the selected first node and a partial hierarchical tree of nodes lower than the selected first node;   displaying an attribute representing the generic relation corresponding to the instance relation which exists among the nodes of the partial hierarchical tree;   selecting an attribute from among the displayed attributes;   classifying the partial hierarchical tree of nodes according to the selected attribute so as to extract nodes associated with the selected attribute; and   displaying the classified partial hierarchical tree.   
     
     
       2. The hierarchical structure display method according to claim 1, further including the steps of: displaying nodes associated with the selected attribute;   inputting a second node selected by a user from among the nodes associated with the selected attribute;   classifying the partial hierarchical tree of nodes according to the selected attribute and the second node; and   displaying the classified partial hierarchical tree.   
     
     
       3. The hierarchical structure display method according to claim 1, further including the steps of: displaying nodes and their lower nodes as a second partial hierarchical tree associated with the selected attribute;   inputting a second node selected by a user from among the nodes of the second partial hierarchical tree;   classifying the second partial hierarchical tree of nodes according to the selected second node; and   displaying the classified second partial hierarchical tree.   
     
     
       4. The hierarchical structure display method according to claim 1, further including the steps of: displaying nodes as a second partial hierarchical tree associated with the selected attribute;   inputting a second node selected by a user from among the nodes of the second partial hierarchical tree;   classifying the second partial hierarchical tree of nodes according to the selected second node; and   displaying the classified second partial hierarchical tree.   
     
     
       5. The hierarchical structure display method according to claim 1, further including the step of displaying nodes associated with the classified partial hierarchical tree. 
     
     
       6. The hierarchical structure display method according to claim 1, further including the steps of: replacing the first node with a lower node from the first node; and,   displaying attributes according to the lower node.   
     
     
       7. The hierarchical structure display method according to claim 1, further including the step of displaying the classified partial hierarchical tree together with the first node.